NEWBIE going from Wood to Coal...

OK...Question for the gurus.
Long time Woodstove burner here. Grew up with coal, tended many a coal stove in my younger days, Granpa owned own coal company, etc etc...
Sick of cutting, splitting, stacking, hauling wood and sick of fire going out daily...

Main home first and second floor heats fine with FHA via Heat pump/LP when nippy backup...but our basement is finished, was unheated, and where we spend 90% of our time. Basement about 1000 sq feet.
Years ago I added Electric baseboard only heat in the basement to supplement the woodstove and with last months electric bill topping $500 Ive had it...
Mrs is ALWAYS freezing.
Basement IS VERY NICE with woodstove up and running.

SO...

Looking for a top vented, gravity fed hoppered, MANUALLY adjustable blowered (dislike computer controlled fans due to noise-unit will be close to TV) unit.

Does such a beast exist?

Hitzer doesnt seem to have a top vent model
Reading seems to be a floor model, and i have an elevated hearth already
Harmans seem hopperless

Alaska Kodiak?????
I cant tell on website if indeed it is top vented AND if it has a gravity fed hopper AND/OR if i can choose to turn on/off the blower?

any/all help appreciated!

Thanks in advance

Todd from NEPA

Welcome to the FORUM Check out the HITZER site--depending on size of room---30-95 or 50-93--You can add a rheostat to any blower. This is my 50-93--it meets all your requirements except top vent as you stated-- as does the 30-95 (next size down) Why a need for the top vent??? space--enlarge your hearth for a good quality stove Some pix of where she's going would be helpful

check out the DS Machine stove also,they seem simple and affordable.Everyone that bought them really likes them
DSM don't have a website since their Amish,but heres a link to see their stoves http://www.rtstoves.com/main.htm

Welcome back to the dark side!!!! Does DS Machine have any top vents?? They don't have fans since they are heavily marketed to the off-grid community. But they don't need them from the testimony of the DS-Maniacs....

I am still scratching my head over your family being so involved with the coal business, yet you were a wood-ite??!!

Young & foolish like we all were at one point--I think it's tough getting a top vent with a GOOD hopper stove--just a space issue

Thanks for the welcome and responses!

My only REASONING (which may be faulty???) for a top vent is to avoid 2 90 degree bends in flu before going through to my masonry chimney above the unit...

I only got away from coal because the home i purchased just wasnt set up to burn it.

Understand the space issue with hopper and top vent in same area on the stove...but many of the fully automatic stokers seem to circumvent this, no???

APOLOGIZE...trying to figure out the layout of this forum.

Ill try my hand at posting a picture on here soon to show you my current woodstove setup

Now, you didn't mention anything about a stoker--from the stove rear vent, you put a "T" & cap the bottom, then a 90 into the chimney--works real well.

shouldn't be any worries with two 90's. in fact i would recommend a couple capped T's instead of the 90's so you can easily vac out the fly ash.

Fred beat me to it...although I'd even use a T on the top to vac out the horizontal run through the thimble.

You could even put a baro in the end of the upper T if it turns out to be necessary, although a lot of guys use a manual damper without the baro successfully.

Here is my current setup.
Hearth is plenty big enough for any stove I believe.

Good thought on that upper "T" titleist--I'll do that next year-- I'm just a tad slow here-- be real good for clean out. Hell, looks like you've got plenty of room on that hearth for a rear vent--pretty too

Wow
Thank you guys so much for all these responses.
The one/two T's for cleanout an excellent tip!
I know Fred, I really dont want a "stoker" per se...

the Hitzer 50-93 really appeals to me...my concern was just the two turns up then out to my thimble/chimney...sounds like this is a non-issue?

Todd

You got it---non-issue indeed

Ill take a better pic of the hearth/area stove to go when i get home this eve...

Hey SH, bout time ya got them thar stockings down don't ya think---

freetown fred wrote:Hey SH, bout time ya got them thar stockings down don't ya think---

Hey ff, he's not late with the stockings, he's went back to the future with the wood burner and will take 'em down when he speeds up to the black rocks!

SP, nice hearth there with plenty of room for what ever stove you choose. You're in good hands with either of the 2 mentioned. My basement was finished before I bought the place but water damage due to frozen pipes ruined it, the only evidence left is the fireplace. I heat both floors with my old hand feeder, 1100 sq.ft. each. Radiant heat below and forced air above, livin' the dream. The pic shows the baro at the top of he T, I used an adjustable elbow at the stove breach due to the angle.
Welcome home and good luck.